James Calvin
| birthplace = Los Angeles, California, United States | deathdate = | deathplace = | othername = | occupation = Actor | yearsactive = 2000 - Present | spouse = Tina Brown (1998 - present) | domesticpartner = | website = }} James Kyle Calvin (born October 11, 1969) is an American filmmaker. He became the director of all eight of the ''Jane Hoop Elementary'' films. Career After finishing Jane Hoop Elementary: The First, Calvin states that he enjoyed directing the film and would love to continue directing the entire franchise. As for Paramount, the studio accepts him returning for the sequel Jane Hoop Elementary: The Cyber Escape. But in 2002, he was asked by Warner Bros. to direct The Last Samurai, but says that he would love to but, he don't want to be stuck in a tight "schedule fit" as he was signed to film all of the Jane Hoop Elementary films. Instead, Edward Zwick takes over. As the film series goes on, by the time he starts filming the fourth installment, Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball, he wants to make the film more darken than much family-friendly because of the books grow much mature and much more serious than a sweet and friendly. He also darkens Jane Hoop Elementary: Morphin the Power and Jane Hoop Elementary: Turbo of Catland. By the time he directs a two-part series finale, Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush, he told staff and crew that both parts wants to become more like an teenage-adult movie rather than a family-friendly because he realizes that the final book was the darkest and scariest Jane Hoop Elementary book ever. He also wants it to be more emotional than the rest of the films. In 1999, producer Brian Clark searched Hollywood for a children's book that could be adapted into a well received film over 10 years.3 Clark pitched the idea to Paramount Pictures, and the following year, Christensen sold the film rights to the company the rights to the first four Jane Hoop books and comics for a reported £1 million (US$60,000,000).3 Todd and Jones then both pulled out of the running in February, and the choice was narrowed down to Clark himself, Calvin, Jones and Todd. Christensen's first choice director was herself, but Paramount chose Calvin, citing his work on other family films as influences for their decision.3 Calvin pitched his vision of the film for two hours, stating that he wanted the Student scenes "to be bleak and dreary," but those set in the fantasy world "to be steeped in color, mood, and detail." He took inspiration from David Lean's adaptations of Great Expectations and Oliver Twist, wishing to use "that sort of darkness, that sort of edge, that quality to the cinematography," taking the colour designs from Oliver! and The Godfather.3 Brian Clark was selected to write the screenplay for the film. He described adapting the book as "tough", as it did not "lend itself to adaptation as well as the next two books." Clark was sent a selection of synopses of books proposed as film adaptations, which he "almost never read", but Jane Hoop jumped out at him. He went out and bought the book, and became an instant fan of the series.3 When speaking to Paramount Pictures, he stated that the film had to be English, and had to be true to the characters.3 Clark was nervous when he first meet Christensen as he did not want he to think he was going to "destroy her baby."3 Christensen admitted that she "was really ready to hate this Justin Freeman," but recalled her initial meeting with him: "The first time I met him, he said to me, 'You know who my favorite character is?'3 And I thought, You're gonna say Alec. I know you're gonna say Alec. But he said 'Rebecca.' And I just kind of melted." Christensen received a large amount of creative control, being made an executive producer, an arrangement that he don't mind. Filmopgraphy